Friday, 30 December 2016

10 Places With the Highest Rates of Car Theft in the U.S

The
U.S. News Best Places Data Drill Down, separate from our overall
rankings, is a regular series that sheds light on multiple data points
to help readers make the most informed decision when choosing where to
live in the United States.

Visit our 2016 Best Places to Live ranking
to see which of the 100 most populous metro areas made it to the top of
the list based on good value, desirability, a strong job market and a
high quality of life.

Your ability to use a car to commute is imperative if you live in an area where public transportation is limited. When it comes time to find your next home, the safety of your car should play a major role in your sense of security.

As apartment and condominium communities offer an increasing number of amenities
to appeal to potential renters and buyers, resident parking -- and
secured parking -- is often considered a major plus, if not a must, for
many.

U.S.
News compiled data on car thefts from the Federal Bureau of
Investigation from 2014 -- the most recent year for complete data from
the bureau -- to determine which of the 100 largest metro areas in the
country had the highest rate of car theft.

Albuquerque,
New Mexico, takes the top spot for highest rate of car theft, with a
total of 6,131 thefts in 2014 and 676.9 thefts per 100,000 people. The
City of Albuquerque acknowledges its high rate of auto theft on its
website, noting New Mexico's shared border with Mexico gives car thieves
added incentive because they can take the stolen vehicles across the
border and sell them.

In
San Francisco, which takes the No. 3 spot on the list with 631.7 car
thefts per 100,000 people, secured garage parking remains a fairly low
priority for renters, says Charley Goss, head of government affairs at
the San Francisco Apartment Association. Instead, he says many residents
take public transportation or use a bicycle to get around the city
rather than pay additional rent to park a car off the street.

"The
city will try to minimize the amount of parking that's provided [in a
new apartment building], because it would like to incentivize public
transit or certain green ways of transportation," Goss says.

Auto insurance companies not only recommend diligence
about locking your car and keeping valuables out of sight to avoid
tempting any passersby, but may also offer reduced premiums for drivers
who park in a secured garage.

If
you know that you live in an area with high rates of car theft, you can
take advantage of long-term parking garages run by the city or a
private third party, or one provided by your landlord if you live in an apartment building.

Here are the 10 metro areas with the highest rates of car theft in the U.S.

10. Seattle

Seattle
takes the No. 10 spot for highest rates of car theft out of the 100
largest metros in the U.S., with 469.1 thefts per 100,000 people.
Despite racking up 17,560 vehicle thefts in 2014 and a
higher-than-average property crime rate, Seattle maintains a
lower-than-average crime rate, boosting it to the No. 7 spot in the Best
Places to Live 2016 rankings.

9. San Jose, California

The
capital of Silicon Valley is known for its high cost of living and the
high income of its residents -- many of whom are big in the tech
industry. The known wealth in the area may be a contributing factor to
the number of car thefts reported: 471.4 per 100,000 people. Similar to
Seattle, San Jose's property crime remains below average compared with
the rest of the country.

8. Spokane, Washington

This
eastern Washington metro area had the fewest total car thefts in the
top 10 with just 2,578 in 2014, but Spokane's population of just over
half a million people means the auto theft rate is 472.3 per 100,000
residents. While violent crime has managed to remain below the national
average, property crime in the Spokane area has been consistently higher
than the national average for decades.

7. Fresno, California

With
491.5 car thefts per 100,000 people, Fresno has the seventh-highest
rate out of the 100 largest metro areas in the country. Fresno's high
rates of both property crime and violent crime, along with a high rate
of unemployment and low average annual salary, contribute to the metro
area's low overall ranking (No. 97 out of 100) for Best Places to Live
2016.

6. Milwaukee

The
only metro area not in the western half of the U.S. on the list,
Milwaukee's rate of car thefts is 539.4 per 100,000 people. With just
over 1.5 million residents in its metro area, Milwaukee experienced
8,496 car thefts in 2014, and additionally it has one of the highest
violent crime rates in the country.

5. Stockton, California

Stockton
isn't the only Central Valley metro area on the list, with 559 auto
thefts per 100,000 people. In addition to above-average property and
violent crime rates, Stockton's high unemployment rate and high cost of
living contribute to its taking the No. 98 spot on the Best Places to
Live 2016 list.

4. Bakersfield, California

A
bit further south in California's Central Valley, Bakersfield also
makes the list with 5,328 car thefts in 2014, a rate of 603.9 incidents
of theft per 100,000 people. Property crime rates have been declining in
the Bakersfield area since 2012, but they remain above the national
average. Another metro area with a struggling job market in addition to
high crime rates and low incentive to move to the area, Bakersfield
ranks No. 95 in the overall Best Places to Live 2016 ranking.

3. San Francisco

As
the largest metro area on the list, San Francisco is third with 631.7
car thefts per 100,000 people, equal to a total of 29,400 incidents in
2014. But the Golden City's high rates of violent and property crime
don't outweigh the metro area's ever-flourishing job market and high
desirability among U.S. residents. San Francisco owns the No. 9 spot in
the Best Places to Live 2016 rankings.

2. Modesto, California

The
sixth and final California metro area on the list, Modesto has the
second-highest rate of auto theft out of the 100 largest metro areas in
the country, with 649.7 thefts per 100,000 people. With a population of
roughly three-quarters of a million people, the Modesto area has one of
the highest violent and property crime rates in the country. It ranks
No. 99 in the Best Places to Live 2016 ranking, beating out only San
Juan, Puerto Rico.

1. Albuquerque, New Mexico

The
second-most eastern city of the 10 places with the highest rates of car
theft, Albuquerque saw 676.9 auto thefts per 100,000 people in 2014.
The City of Albuquerque notes New Mexico's close proximity to the U.S.
border with Mexico lends to a higher chance of vehicle theft, as
criminals may not only be seeking joy rides or compensation from chop
shops, but also the potential to take the car over the border to sell in
Mexico.